Sir Henry Bedingfield

Sir Henry Bedingfeld (1509–1583), of Oxburgh Hall, King's Lynn, Norfolk, was the eldest son of Edmund Bedingfeld (1479/80-1553) and his wife, Grace (d. in or after 1553), the daughter of Henry, first Baron Marney.

Bedingfeld married Katherine (d. 1581), the daughter of Sir Roger Townshend of Raynham, Norfolk and Ursula Heydon (dau. of Sir Christopher Heydon m. Anne Drury).

In 1528, he was admitted to Lincoln's Inn.

Bedingfeld held various posts, including, privy councillor to King Edward VI and Queen Mary I; knight of the shire for Norfolk; Constable of the Tower of London; 1555 Lieutenant of the Tower of London and captain of the guard; 1557 vice-chamberlain of the household of Mary I.

After the death of King Edward VI, in 1553, Sir Henry Bedingfeld, and Sir Henry Jerningham (grandfather of the 1st Baronet Jerningham) were the two most instrumental supporters with placing Mary Tudor on the throne; arriving at her aid with 140 well-armed men.

After this event, "Bedingfeld proclaimed the queen at Norwich, he was afterwards rewarded for his loyalty with an annual pension of 100 pounds out of the forfeited estates of Sir Thomas Wyatt; made a Privy Councillor by Mary I and Knight Marshal of her army, and, subsequently Lieutenant of the Tower of London."

While he held the post of Constable of the tower of London, he was employed in the same capacity as his father had been with Catherine of Aragon, and was entrusted with the care of Queen Elizabeth I, at . Bedingfeld's care of Elizabeth I during this period, has been the subject of controversy. After Elizabeth's accession to the throne in 1559, she would address Sir Henry Bedingfeld at court as "Her Gaoler", however, the following sheds a flood of light, on the truth of this matter, that suggests that this term was in all probability, applied loosely, and in good spirit. Further to this, The contemporaneous evidence that has been published by the Norfolk and Norwich Archæological Society suggests that conduct of Elizabeth's 'Jaioler' was more in alignment with that of a true gentleman.

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